Lord Help Me Not
by The Kimster
Summary: A young girl goes missing, but is she a runaway or was she kidnapped? The team struggles with that, along with other personal problems. Complete!
1. Default Chapter

**Disclaimer:** as always, I don't own anything that looks familiar.

**Author's Note:** My first WAT fanfic. Hope you enjoy! Please R&R!

* * *

It is another lonely day for Melissa Marquez at Sampson Junior High. At long last, the final school bell rings, signaling freedom-that is, for most kids. Melissa made no rush to pack up and leave, but lagged behind as much as she would let herself. 

Walking home along a familiar path lead her to a familiar home, but along the way came a very unfamiliar greeting. She turned slightly and her eyes widened as the black car stops…

* * *

48 hours missing 

Vivian and Jack walk up to the Marquez's front door and knocked.

"Sixth grader at Sampson, lives with her dad, mother died during child birth. Tough." Jack talked as they waited for an answer.

"I remember sixth grade," Vivian added with a smile. "So, who called it in father?"

"No, actually. Ah, teacher said she had been absent without a call. Apparently they check up on unexcused absences. Dad never answered the calls."

"Really," Vivian asked with surprise. Just then the front door opened and a large man dressed in trousers looked angrily at them.

"What," he asked disgruntled.

"Mr. Marquez, we're following up on a missing report on your daughter, Melissa. Do you know where she is?" Vivian asked, a little annoyed at the man. Jack glances at her.

"She's at school." he says, making to close the door, but Jack stops him.

"Listen, your kid hasn't shown up for school for two days, you want to talk about that?" Bob Marquez thinks about it then let's them in reluctantly.

* * *

Back at the FBI office, Martin and Samantha go through various papers. 

"Teachers say she was a good student, never any trouble, but quiet. 'A bit of a loser to the other kids, but an angel to the teachers,' says the math teacher." Martin reads of a paper.

"The teacher said that?"

"Yah, I guess."

"Hmm. Okay, well I don't get it. Why is it always the good, quiet kid who live secret lives at home who go missing? Everyone has a sob story, but it's always the same." Samantha says a touch of bitterness to the last phrase. Martin looks up, not sure what to say.

"They're the most vulnerable?" He guesses. Samantha prepares to respond, but Danny walks up to them.

"Hey guys, I just got off the phone with Jack and Viv. It seems the dad is a real bitch. Looks like we got another runaway." Samantha gives Martin an, "I told you so," look.

"Maybe so, but we still got to try right?" Samantha asks. Martin is again alarmed by her reaction, really wondering what's up with her.

"Well yah, but our chances of finding her just got slim." Martin responds slowly.

"Not so fast. We have an eyewitness that says he saw Melissa get into a black car walking from school." Danny says.

"Well, let's go talk to him," Samantha grabs her coat and heads out immediately. Danny and Martin share a look before Danny follows her. Martin remains for awhile before assuring himself that she has a split personality. He would live with that for now.

* * *

**(FBI office)**

Danny and Samantha talk to Greg Monterey, the eyewitness.

"So this black car pulls up beside her," he explains. "She seemed surprised at first, but relaxed and got in."

"So she recognized them?" Danny questioned.

Either that or they had a gun to her head." Danny and Samantha look at him questioningly. He shrugs. "I could only see her face from my front lawn. The gun was just a guess…"

"Okay, well thanks for your help Mr. Monterey." Samantha says. Greg Monterey nods, and walks off.

"What do you think?" Danny asks Samantha.

She shakes her head, "Na, he's just a crazy dude."

Danny smiles. "Crazy Dude huh? Well, if he's got his story strait, then we have a big lead."

"Yah," Samantha says sadly. "She ran away."

* * *

(**Marquez Residence)**

"Okay, thanks Sam." Jack hung up his phone and turned to Bob Marquez and Vivian. "It appears that Melissa went willingly into a black car. Do you know anything about this?"

"No!" he replied outraged. I just want to make things better with my daughter!" Jack didn't know whether to believe him or not, but his thoughts were cut by a phone ringing. They all looked toward it. A technician hooked a wire to the phone and signaled for Bob Marquez to answer.

"Hello?" he said. A low voice answered him.

"I have the girl. Send an unmarked agent to 4374 Alley Lane. If anyone else comes, she's dead." click. They hung up.

"Wait, they didn't ask for a ransom!" Bob Marquez shouted, confused. Jack shook his head. "She knew them huh?" He spat.

Neither Jack nor Vivian knew what to think.

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I have to stop there cuz my computer is really making mad right now. Please tune in very soon for future chapters. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Ch.2**

**Disclaimer:** For I shall not own.

**Author's Note:** I hope thou likes. Thanks for the reviews. They really help. Keep them coming.

**

* * *

****(FBI office)**

Sam, Martin, and Danny review the case.

"So, we have a twelve year old who has plenty of motives to walk off." Samantha says.

"Yes, but we got a ransom call." Martin puts in.

"Wait," Danny says. "It wasn't a ransom, and don't forget the eyewitness who saw Melissa get willingly in the car."

"Why would they call and have us meet them somewhere with no ransom money? Giving up already?" Samantha suggests. Martin thinks about it.

"Maybe the kidnapper wants to mislead us. Give them time to get away."

"We don't have anything though. We can't track anything; we have no suspects…the case is going cold." Samantha says frustrated.

"Not yet, we need to see why they want us to meet them. Surveillance is supposed to be heading over there now." Danny looks at his watch.

"Where is that place anyway? I haven't heard of it."

"That's because it doesn't exist." Jack said, walking over to the group, followed by Vivian. "It's a false address."

"So why did they bother calling?" Martin asks. "This seriously doesn't make any sense."

"I know it doesn't." The team takes a moment to think of possible solutions, but none come up. Sam walks out in frustration out to the balcony. Martin hovers around for a few seconds, before deciding to follow. He walks out to find her resting her chin on her fist, staring out into the New York City skyline.

"Hey," He leans his elbow next to hers, "You okay?"

"I can't figure it out," she begins.

"Hey," Martin stands strait seriously. "You can't expect to get everything. Things don't always make sense, no matter how clever you usually are." Sam looks up at him and he gives her a reassuring smile, placing a gentle hand on the small of her back.

Danny watches them through the window, jamming a pen in his leg, so he won't burst out laughing. As they walk back in, Danny goes into a small fit of coughs.

"Can I get you a glass of water, Danny?" Martin asks a little too politely. Danny holds up a hand.

"No, no, I'm fine."

"Okay here's what we're going to do," Jack instructs. "The father doesn't own a car, and they have no other living relatives. So, we're going to focus on people at her school, including teachers, coaches, counselors, anyone she has had contact with. Do checks on all of them. We're looking for someone with access to a black vehicle and has either motive for kidnapping or would be willing to help her run away. Any questions?"

Everyone shook their heads and headed off, but Jack called Samantha back.

"Uh, Sam? Can I have a quick word…in my office?" Samantha glanced quickly at Martin before nodding and heading there instead.

Jack followed her in and sat behind his desk. He looked at her for a moment before stating,

"You okay?"

"Yah," she said untruthfully. "Just uh, getting caught up in the case." Both Samantha and Jack found it rather uncomfortable to have a private conversation without another of the team ever since Jack went back to his wife. Truth was, neither of them new who they felt feelings for. For Jack, it was Samantha and his wife, and for Samantha, it was Jack and Martin.

"Um, you and uh…Martin…seem close."

"We've…had drinks a couple of times." She replied carefully. Jack nodded. "Look, Jack, this isn't a great time to talk about this. We've both moved on and I for one, want to find this girl, runaway or not." She moved to leave.

"Sam I…" but she was already out the door.

* * *

The team stayed working late into the night, running checks on most of the employees at Sampson Junior High. Finally…

"Hey guys, I got something." Danny called out. Sam, Martin, and Vivian moved over to Danny's desk. "Keith Little, 45, counselor. The school keeps records of just about everything that the students do, and it looks like Melissa saw him quite a lot, mostly in the past couple of weeks. I did a check, and he is registered to a black mustang."

"Great, so we just need to know who wanted to meet more often." Vivian said.

"Let's go talk to him." Samantha stated. No one moved. "What?"

"Uh, Sam, it's kind of late." Martin said gently. Samantha flushed.

"Right," She knew that they couldn't come knocking at any hour if there was still a possibility that he was innocent.

"We'll talk to him first thing in the morning," Vivian reassured her. "I'll go inform Jack. You should all go home."

"Thanks Viv," Martin told her. Everyone got ready to go, feeling better now that they had a possible lead.

* * *

Okay, that's it for now! Please review and I'll try to get the next chapter out soon.  


	3. Chapter 3

**Ch.3**

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing pertaining to Without a Trace.

**Author's Note:** I hope everyone is enjoying this. Please, please, please review. Thanks.

**

* * *

****(FBI Interrogation Room)**

"Keith Little," Jack begun the interview. "We were uh, looking at school records, and it appears that you and Melissa saw each other quite often."

"She needed someone to talk to," Keith said smoothly. "Things in her life haven't been perfect, and I helped her."

"Oh? How much so?" Samantha retorted.

"I reach out to all my students," he continued, a little more aggravated. "But I had nothing to do with her disappearance."

"You sure about that? You're the one most in contact with her at school, not to mention you have a black mustang." Jack accused.

"So what? Is it a crime to have a black car?"

"It might be if we have an eyewitness saying Melissa got willingly into one the day she disappeared." Samantha responded. Keith didn't move. He cleared his throat.

"Lately…she came to counseling more often. And then, about a week ago, she comes with this crazy plan to run away…"

**(Flashback)**

"C'mon, the plan is flawless. You come pick me up on my way home, and then buy me a bus ticket to California. I have the money." Melissa pleads with Keith Little.

"Melissa, look, this isn't a good idea. What about your father-" Keith began.

"My father hasn't given a crap about me since I was two." She argued. "I want to make my life better."

"Melissa," Keith tried to reason, "You are twelve years old. There is no possible way you can live in California by yourself."

"I have it taken care of," she replied quietly.

"What? You aren't going to live on the streets. Melissa took a deep breath.

"I'm going to live with my mother." Keith froze.

"Melissa," he said gently, "Your mother died during childbirth. There are records of it."

"No, I know she's alive, the records were wrong. I went on this website and found her. She contacted me." Melissa tried to shove a couple of letters to Keith, but he held back.

"Melissa, they're lying. They try to trick you-"

"NO!" Melissa yelled. "It's not true. You have to help me." She looked pleadingly at him. Keith sighed deeply.

**(End Flashback)**

"You agreed to buy her a ticket to California, where some bastard was probably waiting to take advantage of her?" Jack asked aghast.

"I…look, it doesn't matter. We never made it to the bus station."

"Why?" Samantha asked.

"She got cold feet. She asked me to just drop her off at Central Park. But then, she wanted to pay me, and I said no, but she insisted. She pulled out a bag full of cash from her backpack." Jack and Samantha looked curiously at Keith.

"About how much?"

"I don't really know, at least one-thousand." Samantha sighed and leaned back in her chair. "Yah, I know," he added at Samantha's response.

"Okay," Jack said, "anything else we should know?" Keith shook his head.

"Sorry, no. But really, I wouldn't be surprised if she went off still. She really got herself screwed, trying to be in the middle of everything."

"Some of us know what that's like," Jack said looking at Keith. Samantha's head shot up and eyed Jack. She seriously hoped he wasn't referring to herself.

* * *

Jack and Samantha walked back in to talk to the team.

"How'd it go?" Vivian asked.

"Keith Little says that he was going to take Melissa to the bus station so she could go to California and live with her "mother" that contacted her through one of those parent/child websites."

"You're kidding," Martin stated surprised.

"He also said," Samantha took over talking, "that she had about a thousand cash."

"Whoa," Danny said. "This kid definitely has issues."

"You can say that again." Martin laughed.

"This kid definitely has issues."

* * *

I have to end this here for now. I'll update very soon, I promise. 


	4. Chapter 4

**Ch.4**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own any of the characters…or New York…or the FBI…or stuff…

**Author's Note:** Well, here it is. Enjoy and review please!

* * *

"I'm still not convinced that he stopped there." Danny said stubbornly.

"Well, if he's playing with us, he's doing a good job. The guy's and idiot, but I don't think he's smart enough to pull this off himself." Jack replied.

"Still," Martin piped in, "can we hold him for awhile?"

"The best thing we have him on is child endangerment and conspiracy to the fact." Jack said disappointed.

"Maybe he'll think of something later," Vivian said. "Meanwhile, we should check the park, see if anyone saw her."

"Okay," Jack agreed. "Viv, you and Sam go. We'll stay here and continue to go through employees at the school. I'm going to try to get a warrant for a polygraph test on Keith Little."

Vivian and Samantha nodded and left, while Danny and Martin retreated back to their desks.

* * *

Samantha and Vivian move through the park, asking various people if they saw anything.

"Have you seen this girl?" Samantha asked, holding up a photo of Melissa. The man in question put on a face of mock thoughtfulness. He looked at the picture and nodded.

"Yah, you know she was over at the gazebo striping to the Jazz music." He laughed at his own intuition. Samantha rolled her eyes and snatched the picture back. He grabbed her shoulder. "Hey where you going girl? We could make a good couple."

"Yah, and you would make a great inmate." She pulled back her coat for him to see her badge and gun. The man immediately shrugged and left. Samantha shook her head and went to find Vivian.

"She was sitting over there?" Vivian talked with a young jogger.

"Yah, I made two rounds-she looked pretty lost." She told.

"Did you talk to her?"

"Nah, I let her have her thoughts."

"Okay thanks, you've been a big help."

"Sure." The jogger took off, as Samantha approached.

"Looks like you're having more luck than me," She said smiling.

"Well, Melissa was definitely here." Vivian replied. "You get anything?"

"Nope, just a face full of jerks."

"Okay, well, this supports Keith Little's story. Do you think he came back for her?" Samantha shook her head.

"I don't know. Maybe the polygraph will help."

* * *

An agent is polygraph Keith Little.

"Is your name Keith Joseph Little?"

"Yes."

"Were you born August 15, 1960?"

"Yes."

"Was your father Mark George Little?"

"No."

"Was your father Joseph George Little?"

"Yes-are all these questions necessary?"

"Please just answer yes or no. Are you currently employed at Sampson Junior High?"

"Yes."

"Do you know a child named Melissa Marquez?"

"Yes."

"Did you ever help the child Melissa Marquez run away."

Keith sighed. "Yes."

"Have you ever harmed the child Melissa Marquez?"

"No."

"Have you done anything to the child Melissa Marquez against her will?"

"No."

* * *

Jack catches up to the agent that polygraph Keith Little.

"Are there results?" He asked hopefully.

"He answered each question truthfully."

"What?" Jack asked amazed. "He passed?"

"I'm afraid so." The agent walks off, leaving Jack bewildered. He goes into the bullpen.

"Keith Little passed the polygraph." Martin banged his fist on his desk.

"Damn!"

"We got nothing on any other staff member," Danny said. Samantha and Vivian walk over to the others.

"Eyewitnesses place Melissa at the park." Vivain announced.

"Keith Little passed his polygraph." Martin added.

"It's been almost a week," Samantha reasoned. "We have nothing."

"She's gone." A phone rang out in the silence. They turned to the source. Martin quickly walked over and picked it up.

"Fitzgerald." There was a long pause. "Uh, huh…okay…yah, thanks a lot." He looked at the others, a new fire in his eye. "She was spotted in an old neighborhood just outside of the city."

"Let's go."

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I wanted to stop the chapter there for some...unknown reason, but I'll update soon! In the meantime, you can review! 


	5. Chapter 5

**Ch.5**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything that someone else owns.

**Author's Note:** Well, I guess I'll just finish this for my own pride. My stories are always short, but I stuff everything in. Really hard to tell if their any good since no one _reviews_! Give me a sign!

The drive to the secluded neighborhood was a long one, so Jack and Samantha went while the others stayed. Samantha spent most of the ride staring aimlessly out the window. Jack was worried about her, but was afraid to speak. Finally, Jack parked the car at the entrance to a residential area. Squad cars followed suite and they all entered the area, spreading out.

Samantha walked away from the majority of people, thinking of places she would go. She herself had run away, and was familiar with a runaways mind. She spotted a nice big clump of bushes and trash and quietly headed over. The young girl was curled up against a brick wall, shivering in the cold wind. Samantha approached her cautiously.

"Melissa?" She called out. The young girl looked up at Samantha and nodded. "Can I sit with you?" Melissa nodded again. Samantha took a strategically took a seat so they were both out of plain view.

"My name's Samantha," still, she got no direct response. "It's kind of cold out here." Melissa only nodded once more. "You may not believe me, but your father is really worried about you."

"Yah, right." Melissa blurred out. Realizing she talked, Melissa looked down.

"Some people…have a funny way of showing love." Samantha reasoned. "Some just have trouble linking their thoughts to how they act. But they'd be devastated if something happened." A strong wind blew across their faces, and thunder rumbled above them. Samantha wished the rain would hold.

"My father isn't like that." Melissa stated slowly.

"Your father is really shaken up, right now. He's always been secure in knowing where you are. Once you left, he couldn't function."

"He didn't care that I was gone. He left me for two days, and still didn't report me missing." Melissa's voice was beginning to rise. "Probably hung over like always." Melissa jumped up and started to run. Samantha hoped up after her.

"Melissa no!" she called. The clouds gave way and a downpour struck. Melissa pushed her way through a back gate, stumbling in the mud. Samantha wasn't about to give in however. "Melissa, you don't need to run!" But Samantha's frail attempts were to weak to stop her. Melissa tripped and landed in the mud. Samantha couldn't stop in time, and fell painfully one her left knee.

Samantha grabbed Melissa, who continued to struggle. Samantha held her tight, but she wasn't restraining her. Samantha's comforting hold made Melissa stop fidgeting and look at Samantha.

"I'm really sorry," Samantha whispered to her ear. They sat there, letting the rain fall down upon their already muddy bodies. Samantha's knee continued to throb painfully, but she ignored it. Faint voices came running toward them and before long, Samantha was making her way toward the car, Melissa being checked by medics.

She leaned against the jet black car, letting her emotions get the better of her. She sighed, letting tears streak deftly down her face. She could only hope that they wouldn't all end like this.

Martin waited in the lobby area with Mr. Marquez for the troupe to return.

"I never got to thank you for you're help." Mr. Marquez stated. Martin nodded.

"It's our job…but, actually, I wouldn't be thanking anyone yet." Mr. Marquez shot Martin a puzzled look, but just then Samantha walked in with Melissa. Melissa took a deep breath, and swallowed. Samantha gave her a reassuring squeeze on the shoulder and let her forward.

"Melissa," Mr. Marquez rushed foreword, but out of nowhere, Jack intercepted him.

"Mr. Marquez, I'm afraid you're under arrest. You won't be touching Melissa for a long time."

"What!" Mr. Marquez yelled outraged as Jack led him away. Melissa looked unbelievingly up at Samantha. She smiled and Samantha smiled back.

"Your under arrest for numerous accounts of child abuse, neglecting to report a kidnapping…" Jack went on as he let an angry man go with an officer. He then proceded to wander over to Samantha and Melissa.

"You want something to eat?" Jack asked Melissa kindly, who nodded vigorously. "Okay, come on."

"Can you come?" Melissa asked Samantha.

"Oh, uh, sure, you go ahead and I'll be right there." Melissa nodded and followed Jack.

Martin walked over to Samantha beaming at her.

"Looks like you got a little dirty." Samantha just noticed how muddy she was.

"Yah," she laughed. "This mud better come out."

"Anyone ever tell you how beautiful you look when your muddy?" Samantha looked at Martin unsure if he was kidding.

She concluded that he was serious after they broke away from a kiss.

THE END


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